


Obliviate

by aureumie



Series: Hogwarts' Tea & Cookies [11]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxious Jeon Jungkook, Broken Families, Broken Promises, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Jeon Jungkook is Bad at Feelings, Jeon Jungkook is Whipped, Kim Taehyung | V is Whipped, M/M, Protective Kim Taehyung | V, Shy Jeon Jungkook
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:35:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28357872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aureumie/pseuds/aureumie
Summary: Jungkook felt— no, he knew— that this happiness wouldn’t last forever.Because they were just too different.
Relationships: Jeon Jungkook/Kim Taehyung | V
Series: Hogwarts' Tea & Cookies [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1523963
Comments: 96
Kudos: 320





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is a little different from my usual Tea & Cookies oneshots as it is multi-chaptered and a bit more, sensitive and emotional. I wanted to touch on Jungkook’s background, particularly his family and their perception of him as a Magizoologist which I had hinted before as one that was strained and well, not too well-taken. So here it is!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own the characters nor the Harry Potter franchise. This is a work of fiction and will stay as such.

Relationships aren’t always seen through rose-tinted glasses; they aren’t always made of happily-ever-afters, of sweet, incandescent meetings fueled by a frilly romance— but Jungkook had always hoped, despite his anxious and self-depracating self, that maybe things would be different, that things with _Taehyung_ would be different. Because that’s who they were— _different_.

One who is so blessed with magical talent and lineage, a true-blooded Slytherin all the way to the very tips of his soul and a pride of his family.

The other one, a bitter disappointment, a failure to what should have been the future of his family’s wizardry in the Ministry. An outcast even among his own blood.

Even so, these two had met, met and felt everything fall into place. Sparks flew brighter than what the cosmos could create, even more than what time could recreate in over a millenia. They found a part of themselves in the other and Jungkook felt lost in it. _Drowned_ in it. It was euphoric, exhilirating and rapturous and Jungkook couldn’t get enough of it.

Jeon Jungkook fell for Kim Taehyung.

And he fell hard.

Everything was going so well— everything felt like a fairy tale for him, it all felt too good to be true. But deep down, in the darkest depths of his mind, Jungkook felt— no, he _knew_ — that this happiness wouldn’t last forever.

Because they were just too _different_.

It all started when, on the night before they were to have their spring break, Taehyung, a budding Astronomy student-teacher and Jungkook, in his Seventh Year, had decided to spend the night snuggling at the small upper attic in the Astronomy Tower. It had become a frequent hideout for them where the small window became their own little telescope to the world outside.

“Hey, Kookie.” Taehyung whispered to the seventh year leaning against his side. The warm blanket shared between them felt even warmer when the younger male felt the elder shift his head, pressing a soft kiss over his forehead.

“Hm?” Jungkook opens his eyes to gaze up at the elder.

“I— I have a question,” He pauses, “Or, maybe a request. But you don’t have to— you know— agree to it if you don’t want to. I’m not pressuring you or anything,”

“Hyung,” Jungkook smiles, smitten and fond. He reaches over to play with his boyfriend’s fingers, “Calm down. What is it?”

Taehyung clears his throat and straightens himself, leading Jungkook to pull away much to his dismay (if the small jut of his bottom lip is anything to go by). The elder turns and takes Jungkook’s other hand in his own, carressing the slightly scarred skin from his natural adventures. Jungkook blinks, bright eyes blinking at his boyfriend.

“Taehyung?”

“It’s just— your family.” The elder starts softly and smiles encouragingly when he feels the younger male tense. It isn’t unknown to him that Jungkook has a— _strained_ — relationship with his family. Especially after he had voiced his disapproval of his family’s plans to make him an Auror and instead, how he wanted to become a Magizoologist.

That had left a massive gap between them. A gap that was deep; deep and painful.

“I was hoping to,” Taehyung swallows and speaks quietly, tentative in his request, “I was hoping to meet them. Formally.”

Jungkook freezes in his place.

“I want to meet them, Jungkook.” Taehyung says, eyes growing more determined as the silence extends, “I want to introduce myself as— as your boyfriend.”

Jungkook feels dizzy, his head feels lighter but his stomach feels like a rumbling storm ready to break lose. The younger male doesn’t realize it, but his hands start to tremble— only notices it when Taehyung squeezes them to ground him.

“T-Tae—“ Jungkook croaks, throat dry and parched and just— he’s _lost_. “Taehyung, what? No— _No_ , no you _can’t_ —“

“But Jungkook—“

“ _No_ ,” Jungkook shakes his head, “We’re not meeting with my pa— w-with _them_.” The hesitance just when he was about to say his parents felt like a stab to his own heart.

Taehyung moves closer, searching his eyes. Eyes which were looking down onto his own lap and quickly brimming with tears, “Baby, I-I’m sorry— I didn’t mean to make you sad. I just, I just _thought_ ,”

“It’s not that.” Jungkook shakes his head, “I’m not mad at you, _god_ , no— I don’t think— I don’t think I’d ever be mad at you. But, I just— I don’t want them— I don’t want them to know, Tae. I just don’t want them to take anything more from me.”

It’s then that Jungkook breaks and cries silently. Taehyung quickly lets go of his hands in lieu of wrapping his arms around the younger male, tucking him under his chin, whispering apologies and hurried words of forgiveness. He sways them gently, carding his fingers gingerly through Jungkook’s unruly hair.

“They won’t, baby. I’m sorry.” Taehyung says, “I won’t bring it up again. I’m sorry.”

Jungkook stays silent, arms returning to embrace the elder back.

His family had taken a lot from him— they had taken over practically a huge chunk of his life— how he was to behave at home (the times he had been scolded by his nurses and mentors as a young child after having been found outside his house, crawling on dirt and climbing on trees to catch glimpses of birds and insects were too many to count), his choice of friends (which never lasted long considering how superficial they all were), his education (he was this close to having gone to Durmstrang for, in his father’s words, _to toughen him up_ but had fortunately received the god-saving letter from Hogwarts on his eleventh birthday), and his choice for his future which he had vehemently refused to accept, no questions asked. Each one creating a chasm so deep between his family, Jungkook wondered if it was ever going to be salvageable. If things were ever going to be all right.

And now, now that he has _Taehyung_ — he doesn’t want them to take him away too. He knows, knows well, what his family would say. That Kim Taehyung, a wizard of the finest pedigree, a long, long inheritor of Salazar Slytherin’s magic of Paresltongue, an exceptionally talented and handsome wizard of his caliber was too good, too perfect for their failure of a son.

And Jungkook knows that. He _knows_ deep down that he was unworthy of the ideal wizard that was Kim Taehyung, wrestles with the thought every now and then when he’s in bed, tears threatening to fall down his cheeks. He wonders why on earth the elder would choose someone like _him_ to be his boyfriend—

But for the second time in his mundane life, Jungkook was selfish. He thought he would be selfish with just his choice to avoid the Ministry— but then he met Taehyung— and he knew, he felt it deep down, that he was going to be selfish with his love too.

His family won’t take Taehyung away. He won’t allow it.

  
  


But things never really go Jungkook’s way— and on the morning of their summer break, after reaching London and boarding down on Platform 9 3/4, the two were stopped at the sight of the familiar robes of Mrs. Jeon, standing tall and graceful before them.

She was wearing a long, maroon robe, gloved hands held together over her waist, a matriarch in waiting. Her chin was up and her eyes scanned at her son. The briefest tug of her lips downwards made Jungkook furrow his brows.

“Mother.” He greets, stoic and lacking the sincerity and the friendliness that Taehyung had long since associated the Hufflepuff with. Jungkook moves to take his suitcase and Taehyung’s hand in his own, ready to walk out on his mother but—

“It saddens me,” She starts, not once moving her head to acknowledge her son, “That you fail to mention in a _letter_ , at the very least, of your— _relationship_ — with this young man.” The way she says it, the way her voice is just laced with disappointment and disgust is what causes Jungkook to turn, eyes glaring and burning an angry shade.

“You don’t deserve—“ 

“I don’t deserve _what_?” She says and minutely turns her head to face them, still with an air of elegance and intimidation. “I don’t deserve to know what my _incompetent son_ is doing in that godforsaken school? What kind of mischief he’s been up to that could _threaten_ our _very name_?”

Jungkook bristles, feels his heart shoot up to his throat and his hands tremble, gripping the handle of his case tight that his knuckles go white. He— _hates_ them. It’s a strong word, he knows, and is aware that no matter what, very rarely does one hate his own flesh and blood. But—

Then, Taehyung’s warm hand squeezes his other and briefly, he’s shaken from his impending rage.

“If I may,” Taehyung speaks, composed, polite but his posture is— _defensive_ — as he takes a step forward, almost mimicking him shielding Jungkook away from a wild magical creature. “Madame Jeon, I presume?” 

Jungkook’s mother cocks one eyebrow up and assesses him in a second. Still defiant and still condescending in the manner she holds herself.

“My name is Kim Taehyung, formerly from the House of Slytherin. I am presently a student-teacher at Hogwarts.” He gives a short and slight bow, not one he’d usually do when faced with elders, especially his boyfriend’s own mother. If the situation were any different, he’d be magically summoning a boquet of roses fit for his lover’s parent. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, though I had hoped it would’ve been under better circumstances.”

There’s a pregnant pause before the elder witch’s eyes widen by a fraction. A realization dawns on her face. But she schools it just as quickly as it had appeared.

“I see.” She says and tilts her head the slightest before she gives a smile, but it was far from warm. Cool, derisive and full of mock acceptance. “A Kim. Who would’ve thought?”

Jungkook clambers to step forward but Taehyung squeezes his hand again.

“I beg your pardon?” He says, but the way his hand holds Jungkook and the way his eyes are burning, is enough for the younger male behind him to say that Kim Taehyung is pissed. As. Hell.

Mrs. Jeon takes this moment to walk towards them only to pass by them as if they were mere strangers. Her eyes had not once looked over to where her son was, “Well, seeing as how you’ve travelled this long and far, proper introductions need only be done.” She pauses just a step pasy them, “Come to dinner tonight, Jungkook. Your father would like to meet your— _friend_ — as well.”

“We aren’t going.” Jungkook says, hisses, skin going pale at what this might all mean— at what it could possibly imply. “I’m not stepping foot inside that house ever again—“

“It was not a request,” Mrs. Jeon turns her head briefly. “You will go, whether you like it or not; even if it will be by force.”

She leaves no room for argument as she turns and resumes her walk away from them, disappearing into the crowd, almost as if she was simply a mirage.

A nightmare.

Jungkook was shaking with unbridled anger. How dare she— how _dare_ — 

“Love,” Taehyung whispers, breaking his negative thoughts, his raging aura. He turns to look into warm hazel brown eyes, “Jungkook, sweetheart, are you— are you okay?”

Taehyung knows it was not the best words to say but he also knows he needed to say something, anything, to his younger boyfriend. Jungkook’s face crumples in an instant, he reaches over and buries his face onto the elder’s shoulder.

“I’m so sorry,” Jungkook mumbles, hand clutching desperately onto his coat, “I didn’t— I didn’t know she’d be here. I didn’t _know_.”

“Ssh,” Taehyung says, combing through his hair, “It’s all right. It’s all right, Kookie.”

“No, it isn’t.” Jungkook pulls back, fear evident in his eyes. A fear Taehyung has never seen other than the time when he had been hurt during the Triwizard tournament. “Taehyung, I let her talk to you like that— I— I should’ve—“

“ _No_ ,” Taehyung says, cupping his cheek carefully, thumb brushing just under his eye to rid of a tear threatening to drop, “None of that. You are in no obligation to think that you must shoulder whatever your mother does, even if it’s towards me.”

Jungkook leans closer to Taehyung’s hand, desperate for contact but more importantly, desperate to rid of this— guilt, “But—“

“I’m fine, Jungkook.” He says, smiling gently towards the younger male to appease his worries. Jungkook just looks so devastated that it breaks Taehyung’s heart, “Her words mean nothing to yours.”

Jungkook stares, wide-eyed, at his boyfriend. Surpise is evident on his face at how Taehyung is just accepting of him, him and his disastrous family. He gives the elder a wobbly smile before he gives a slow nod, reaching over to press his forehead against the elder’s, “I-I promise you— I won’t let anything happen to you. To us.”

Taehyung closes his eyes and presses a chaste kiss to the corner of his little Hufflepuff’s lips.

He could say the same thing.

  
They arrived at Taehyung’s studio apartment which was of an elegant modern design. Darker shades of green contrasted the marbles of white and silver, a salute to his Hogwarts House. But it made it so very— _Taehyung_. The elder promptly pulled the younger male inside after they had deposited their shoes, rid their bodies of their long coats and dropped their luggages by the door.

He pulls Jungkook along, gently pushing him towards a bar stool just behind his kitchen counter.

“Tae— what?” Jungkook croaks, his nose is a blotchy red and his eyes are a little wet but there were no more tears, and the fear that was there previously was gone as well.

“Let me treat you.” Taehyung reaches over to flick the underside of his chin, “You deserve it.”

After the catastrophic meeting with his mother at the train station, Jungkook hardly thinks that he deserves anything at all— that he deserves, instead, to sleep outside of Taehyung’s apartment for what his own flesh and blood had said upon their very first meeting, at the very blatant disgust of their relationship.

When he sees Jungkook prectically wilt on his seat like a candle dying out, Taehyung is, needless to say, alarmed; “Baby, what— what is it? Are you tired? Would you rather sleep?”

Jungkook wants to drown himself. How could his boyfriend be so forgiving and so accepting of him? He shakes his head, “No, Tae. I just— I know you said that none of what had happened was my fault but I still feel bad about it.”

“Oh, _Jungkookie_ ,” Taehyung says and it’s so warm and tender that it makes Jungkook look up and lean forward when he sees Taehyung reach out to him, gentle hand cupping his cheek once more. “My sweet Hufflepuff, your kindness is immeasurable.”

“Tae—“ Jungkook can’t stop the blush from spreading on his cheeks but it seems to be the appropriate response given Taehyung’s boxy grin.

“I love you.” He says.

Jungkook’s breath catches in his throat.

“You—“ He stutters, heart hammering. “You can’t just do _that_!”

Taehyung’s laugh is loud and affectionate and it makes Jungkook smile back shyly.

The elder treats him to his homemade version of Butterbeer which tasted like it was five times sweeter than normal, leaving Jungkook coughing occasionally with a smile on his face. He’s then hand fed little biscuits and small pastries Taehyung had bought along the way to his apartment, hoping that it would cheer the younger male up. Jungkook delighted in the coddling but really, he just needed Taehyung and he only needed Taehyung to be happy as well.

But as night approaches, Jungkook becomes more quiet again, more serious. And it’s only right because his mother demanded that they go to the Jeon’s estate for dinner and that meant stepping into the one place where Jungkook couldn’t be— _Jungkook_. Where his beloved future Magizoologist could no longer spread his wings and be himself, where he knew no one in that household looks at him the way Taehyung does and it’s so unfair and so bitter of them— his own family— to measure his worth for what he had failed to do under their jurisdiction.

It’s— It’s _infuriating._

Which is why Taehyung is adamant that they go, despite Jungkook telling him that it’s better to just forget about it. They could just walk off and go to their next destination— but Jungkook also knows that the Jeons are not about to give up.

After all, he stubbornly refused to give up against his own family.

He’s so torn and so tired to have to deal with his own family, but it’s Taehyung’s warm embrace that settles the deal.

“We have to face them sooner or later.” He says, bopping the younger’s nose as he helps him put on his coat, ready to face the music.

“I never thought I’d be stepping foot in that house again.” He whispers, eyes downcast. He avoids the soft and almost heartbroken look on his boyfriend— that he was a son who refused to go home; who was also not welcomed by his own family in return.

“It’ll be okay.” Taehyung says, “I promise. We’ll face them together, sweetheart.”

Jungkook looks up and offers the elder a smile. “I don’t deserve you, Taehyung.”

The elder freezes and cups his cheeks, “Jungkook, don’t say that.”

“But it’s—“

“ _It’s not_.” Taehyung says before Jungkook finishes, knows exactly what he was going to say. “You deserve the world, yes, and I aim to give you that.”

Jungkook reaches forward and hugs him tight, “Taehyung,”

“Believe me.” Taehyung whispers, “Trust in me, Jungkookie. I promise. Everything will be all right.”

Jungkook wants to.

But as the night draws ever more darker, so does the weight of his heart grow more heavy—

He prays. He prays that things will be all right.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything has its limits.

The Kims were a family of pure-blooded wizards, known to be cunning, intelligent, resourceful and natural born leaders. As such, most of Taehyung's family had been placed under the Slytherin House— more so his own branch of the family given their direct, though distant, relation to the founder of the House. His ability as a Parselmouth seemed natural to him, given that he, his siblings, and essentially his father's side had such a skill (his paternal grandfather even claimed to have seen the great wizard himself in person when he was a little boy, but then again, his gramps was a bit of a talker and a bit nutty). 

The Kims, for all that their blood would often dictate, refused to stand by the common belief imposed by their great ancestor Salazar Slytherin— that muggles were not to be trusted. The Kims were more open, more kind and more accepting of their fellow wizards and human beings altogether. Though that had initially brought about negative criticisms from their relatives, it'd had eventually been passed on given the status and the contributions of Taehyung's family.

Kim Taehyung came from a family that had skills in Charms and Transfiguration, and in extension, inventing new creations (which comes as no surprise, really, how easily Taehyung had created his magical telescope that he uses for work). It was thanks to his family that the Gringotts vaults were known to be one of the wizarding world's most secure and well-protected spaces, with his great-great-great-great grandfather having invented the complex security system himself. They also (secretly) have been a prominent stockholder for the Gringotts Wizarding Bank, befriending the goblins, particularly the founding goblin himself from whom the bank was named after. This led to their prominence and subsequent respect among wizards.

Taehyung had no problems with his family— their openness, even to goblins, what more with other wizards, led to him growing up different from the usual and stereotypical Slytherin. 

The Jeons, however, were well known to be a pure-blooded line of top classed, high ranking Aurors; significant in the Ministry as well as within the wizarding world. They prided in their magic, elites in terms of Defence Against the Dark Arts. They were revered as one of the best "Dark Wizard catchers", helping in the arrest of several criminals or supporters of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named when he had reigned. All in all, they were well respected and expectations were always placed high within their family members.

Needless to say, Jungkook had always felt detached from this part of  _his_ world. 

Where his family outranked most wizarding clans in duels and offensive magic, Jungkook had always been inclined to magic that  _gave_ — magic that birthed and granted life. Magic such as those of Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures— magic that chose not to cause harm but to  _understand_ .

His family never did. They never  _did_ understand.

How could their second son choose the life of the wild over the Ministry? The inconsistency of nature over the administrative body of the wizarding world? It was a concept none of Jungkook's family could ever comprehend. Jungkook had, time and time, tried to reason with them— patiently toiled away and practically  begged them to understand— but all of his efforts were either dismissed or ridiculed by family members.

His parents had long since gave up on him— kicked him out of the house when he had turned to accept the letter for Hogwarts rather than Durmstrang, where his older brother had graduated from (and essentially, most of the male Jeons). And so, young Jungkook had since stayed in the old castle, never once returning back home where his kin was. Any letters he had sent were forgotten or vanished into thin air. No owl back. Not one note. 

For an eleven year old, living in a castle all on his own, it was devastating. Heartbreaking. Jungkook may have chosen to be something else other than what his parents had wished but never in his small life had he wished for them to disown him— had wished for them to forget he was their son. 

His brother, whom he had looked up to, had replied to one of his letters once, when he was in his third year. It came with a handsome owl and only a brief note telling him to reconsider— that his parents would forgive him if he had sent a letter back with a sincere apology. It angered Jungkook. Why should he apologize? Was it a mistake to choose something of his own volition? Was it his fault to have a choice? Was it his fault he did not want to be an Auror? Was it his fault he was kicked out? Jungkook had crumpled the note and waved the owl off without a reply. 

Since then, any communication between him and his family had ceased.

It took years for Jungkook to come to terms with it— he was barely in his teens and he had no family to turn to; what's more is that he was known around the castle as this strange kid with an affinity for magical creatures, burying his nose into the dirt or in books, was often found staying by Hagrid's house rather than in the Great Hall. Jungkook had a hard time fitting in and thought he'd never be able to— he had thought that he'd never find a place to call home again—

Until he met Taehyung.

And then Jimin— and then Namjoon, Yoongi, Hoseok and Seokjin.

And they became his _family_. His everything. His _home_.

And the pain of losing his own flesh and blood started to dull away, like a scar slowly healing over his battered skin. It became a fickle memory to him, one he could sometimes think back just as he's about to close his eyes. But he'd soon forget about it at the gentlest touch on his shoulder, that of a warm hand that would later cup his cheek and pull him to look into warm, honey brown eyes.

Eyes that were always looking up at the stars—

Eyes that belonged to Kim Taehyung.

Jungkook was happy. He really was.

But happiness— this kind of happiness— was too good to be true, almost uncertain.

And uncertainty would eventually lead to doubt.

And doubt led to fear.

  
  


Taehyung's eyes gazed worriedly to the other male in the room, his movements were slow— almost uncoordinated. It's been almost five minutes since he's observed the way Jungkook fumbled with his tie. It's a pretty basic article of clothing, hell, they've been wearing one since their first year at Hogwarts. 

And yet— here is Jungkook, barely managing to tie it around his neck. He'd turn and pull and tug only to break it all apart once again to do the whole process once more. It's almost gruelling to watch.

Taehyung stands from his place on the couch before walking over to Jungkook, warm hands reaching over to touch his shoulders, ignores the way it causes him to flinch.

Wide, almost fearful, doe eyes turn back to look at him. Taehyung chooses to ignore it.

The elder offers him a smile, "Come here," He whispers, turning Jungkook around to fix the tie himself. The younger male is wearing a classic khaki two-piece suit with a light blue and white striped collared shirt neatly tucked in to match. The tie is of a darker shade of brown, with stripes of gold and yellow running diagonally, reminiscent of the Hufflepuff House. The thought makes Taehyung quirk his lips up, fondness on his face as he gently pulls the tie up before reaching down to button the jacket of his suit closed.

"There." He says, taking in the smart and casual look of his boyfriend. Jungkook blushes adorably at the attention and he holds back the coo that's ready to come out of his mouth. "You look great, Jungkookie."

Jungkook ducks his head, mouth wobbling, "Y-You're just saying that because you're biased." He says, turning to face the mirror as the blush creeps all the way up to his ears and down his nape.

Taehyung is smitten beyond words.

"Besides," Jungkook steals a glance before darting his eyes back at the mirror, "Y-You look better, hyung."

It causes Taehyung to puff his chest out proudly, a grin on his face as he takes a step closer and just a bit behind him to share the mirror. He's dressed in a black suit jacket and slacks, with an emerald green vest and tie over a white collared shirt. He's styled his hair to part to one side, a strand falling daintily over his forehead as he tilts his head to smirk at the mirror, wiggling his eyebrows at his boyfriend. Jungkook huffs and playfully nudges him on his side, earning him a chuckle from the elder.

Taehyung leans closer and presses a kiss on Jungkook's cheek, hand coming up to rest on his waist. "We'll be okay." He says and he means it. He doesn't know what's in store for them tonight when they go over to the Jeons' estate— but one thing is for sure and that is that they will come out of it better, stronger— they'll come out together.

Jungkook tenses and offers the elder a grateful albeit small smile.

He turns around and reaches over to gently tuck the stray strand of hair back to its place, "We'll be okay." He whispers back as he cups Taehyung's cheek before leaning forward to kiss— his heart swelling as he feels the elder close the distance between them.

Everything will be okay.

The Jeons’ estate was nestled in the outskirts of the city, away from prying muggle eyes. It was all concrete with tall glass windows, reflecting the night sky and surrounding mountains. It stood proud, like the family that lived within its walls. Nature embraced it, flowers and vines fllowing around the walls, with tall trees lined the stone pathway as one of the family butlers led the pair down the way towards the main entrance.

Jungkook can already feel the familiar sensation of _entrapment_ as he takes a step closer to the imposing front doors, his freedom leaving behind him together with his footsteps. He swallows nervously as he and Taehyung stand before the doors that slowly opened on their own accord, as if sensing the blood of the family's black sheep before it.

It was Jungkook's older brother that first greets them, much to the younger Jeon's surprise.

" _H-Hyung_?" Jungkook croaks, throat dry as he sees for the first time in a long time, the sight of his older brother— Junghyun. The older Jeon had Jungkook's black hair, styled impeccably as he stood before them, hands in the pocket of his sleek black slacks. His posture was neither haughty nor condescending, unlike his mother earlier at the station; but his eyes held no familiarity— no warmth. It wasn't the look of an older brother coming to welcome his younger brother back home after almost seven years. It felt more like a home owner welcoming an uninvited guest.

Jungkook was that uninvited guest.

Taehyung's lips are pursed as he levels his gaze with the elder Jeon, who returns the look blankly. Junghyun tilts his head a little out of faux courtesy before he returns to looking back at Jungkook.

"I'm surprised," He says, "That you would actually come on your own accord."

Something inside Jungkook bubbles anxiously— no, _angrily_ — He grits his teeth, "What do you mean?"

"I thought we'd have to _force_ you to come here, Jungkook." His name is spoken blandly and almost with a hint of disgust. "But, miracles do happen, I guess." He says before he turns on his heel and walks away, leaving the two by the door.

Jungkook breathes through his nostrils, shoulders hiking up.

He's disgusted, he's revolted— how could his own brother say such things to him? How could someone whom Jungkook had looked up to be so cold towards him? How could he easily treat him like he was nothing but trash?

"Baby," Taehyung's honey voice whispers by his ear as he reaches over to take his hand. Jungkook doesn't miss the way some of the family's attendants glance at the action, _studying_ them. Taehyung ignores them— Jungkook was more important than anybody in this house. "Are you okay? Talk to me."

Jungkook takes a deep breath, shaking his head. "I-I'm fine. I just— I didn't think I'd see him—" He clears his throat before giving his boyfriend a small smile, "That was my older brother, by the way. His name is Junghyun and— well, I'm sorry that he— he was rude."

Taehyung smiles back, "Don't apologize on their behalf, sweetheart."

Jungkook was thankful for Taehyung's kindness.

The two are led to the dining area of the grand estate. It was a grand space, to say the least, with a huge mahogany table in the center of the room. A pristine and impeccably white table cloth over it, almost taunting any guest to try and ruin it to see the consequences that would befall on them for daring to tarnish it. Two shining, tall, silver candelabras were placed from the center of the table, holding smooth white candles whose wax never seemed to melt. Above the room was a large diamond chandelier, dangling jewels fit for kings.

The extravagance, the lavish display of wealth and money made Jungkook's skin crawl. He didn't belong here. He didn't belong in this family.

"A pleasant evening, Jungkook." His mother's voice interrupts his thoughts as they're led to the end of the table, "I'm most satisfied to see you here tonight for dinner. Finally, you hadn't chosen to ignore us for once."

Jungkook ducks his head to cover the rage in his eyes, his fists tightening by his side. _Stay calm. Do not let them get to you. Taehyung doesn't deserve this side of you—_

"Of course, I extend my welcome to you as well, Kim Taehyung." His mother continues, seemingly ignorant of Jungkook's open anger. She smiles, challenging the elder by Jungkook's side. "Welcome to our _humble_ home."

The sarcasm is dripping with blatant poison, poison as strong as that of a Basilisk.

Taehyung offers her a serenely emotionless smile in return. "My thanks, Madame Jeon, for your invitation for dinner tonight."

The response seemed to be not what she had expected, if the slight frown on her face was anything to go by. "Please," She motions for the two chairs opposite her and Junghyun, "Come and sit."

The two move to sit across her and Jungkook's older brother. It felt so stiff and unfamiliar— as if he wasn't in his own home. Under the table, Jungkook's tense and cold hand gripped at his slacks nervously. His father isn't in the room yet and for some inexplicable reason, he fears meeting him again the most. His father with whom he had tried to please as a child, his father who had wanted him to follow in his own footsteps, who had looked at him with so much disappointment and so little love since childhood. While his mother was very vocal in her criticisms over his choices, his father's indifference had hurt more than a physical blow.

In fact, sometimes, Jungkook had wished his father had hit him instead— hit him rather than be a silent, cold figure in his life. Perhaps if he had been hit, the anger Jungkook felt deep inside would be more justified—

Taehyung reaches under the table and takes his hand into his own. Jungkook turns his gaze to the elder briefly and sees the warmth returning back to his boyfriend's eyes. Taehyung offers him a small smile—

_I'm here_.

Jungkook smiles back before he looks straight ahead to where his mother and older brother was seated in front of them.

“I wouldn’t have come here unless I felt the need to, mother.” Jungkook says, eyes a determined shine over them.

Mrs. Jeon raises an eyebrow skeptically before she plasters on a smile, “Oh of course, it definitely saves us the trouble of having to drag you here, Jungkook.”

Jungkook purses his lips, glaring. Trouble. That’s what he’s become— what he’s reduced to in this family— that he was an _inconvenience_ in their lives, a thorn ready to tarnish the family name.

The doors open to reveal an elder male, back straight as he enters the room with sombre authority. His eyes scan past Jungkook and Taehyung as he makes his way to his seat the head of the table— Jungkook’s father had the same hair as his sons, albeit greying, with sharp eyes ready to scrutinize one wizard’s worth. Over on his hand lay the family ring, an heirloom passed by the heads of each Jeon family. Mr. Jeon takes his seat on the chair silently, in an almost reverent, holy manner before several attendants and butlers appear, placing platters and bowls of steaming hot mushroom soup, symmetrically cut sweet potatoes with sour cream, green onions and a dollop of hot sauce, a plate of rare roast beef slices as thin and delicate as silk, noodles drenched in aromatic olive oils and herbs, cheese that melts on your tongue served with sweet blue grapes. The servers move wordlessly to and from the table, keeping the platters and goblets full.

“My greetings to our guests,” Mr. Jeon says, eyes briefly glancing over to his right where his son and Taehyung were seated before moving to take hold of his utensisl, cutting the pristinely sliced cuts of meat. “It truly is an honor to welcome the son of Kim.”

Taehyung gives a small bow of his head, “I’m humbled, sir. Please, call me Taehyung.”

Mr. Jeon does not, instead he shifts his hands so that the ring— and all of it’s glory— is in display. Jungkook feels the bile catch up in his throat as he desperately tries to swallow the food in his mouth.

“Well, you’d do well to consider where you stand.” Mr. Jeon says and Taehyung narrows his gaze.

“I beg your pardon?”

The eldest Jeon brings his chin up, not once glancing to the direction of where his second child is seated. “Must you sell yourself short? Truly? With—  _this_ one.”

And his blank, distant eyes settle down towards Jungkook— and it’s _cold_ , so cold— how his own father looks at him. Because he looks at his as if he was not a Jeon, as if he was a lowly servant, an unwanted guest, an abomination.

And maybe he is—

Taehyung shifts uncomfortably in his place, his eyes glowering in response to the elder’s words. He tries to keep his voice steady— “I beg to differ.” He says, clears his throat to control the growing animosity inside of him, “Jungkook is an intelligent, caring and respectable wizard— he is worth more than any other person out there. I won’t choose any other person to be with other than your son.”

Jungkook turns to gaze owlishly at his boyfriend, a small blush coloring his cheeks.

Mr. Jeon gives a sardonic smile, “See, this is where you are mistaken.” He pauses, smile slowly disappearing as he lifts his goblet to take a sip at the wine served for him, “He is no son of mine.”

And Jungkook should’ve known— he should’ve known this from the start. All those years of handwritten letters easily forgotten and thrown away, all those years of missed holidays and birthdays because he was unwelcomed back, just  all those years —

And still.

It _hurts_ to hear his own father dismiss him so easily— to hear that he wasn’t a son of a Jeon anymore, that he had no right to be here. It fucking  hurts .

“Sir—“

“Then, _why_ —“ Jungkook growls, a fist gripping at the table cloth, crinkling the expensive fabric worth galleons, “Why invite me over if I am nothing to you anymore?”

Mr. Jeon tilts his head and sighs, “Did you think this was all for _your_ sake?” He says, as frigid as the North wind, “You must be mistaken. This was for your—  _friend_ — we can’t have such a promising young future such as a Kim be tainted with your—  _flimsy endeavors_. ”

Jungkook pales, his heart tightens in his chest, he breathes— _hard_ — as he feels the unshed tears staining his eyes. He stands abruptly, knocking some silverware along the way, the rattling sound of expensive china and glass echoing in the room. But all Jungkook could hear was the sound of his own blood rushing through his ears, of the words echoed by his father, of his own insecurities resurfacing like a predator of the deep— he can vaguely hear Taehyung— but it was all muffled by the darkness slowly consuming him.

“ _You_ —!” Jungkook cries, “You _never_ understood! You never gave me a  _chance_ !”

His father sat, impeccably unaffected by his outburst, as if he had expected such a reaction. “ You never gave _us_ a chance. All you had in your head were some _useless_ fairy tales— protecting magical creatures?  _Studying_ them? No Jeon would stoop so low as you.”

“Why else should I subject myself to something that didn’t make me happy?” Jungkook can hear his voice shaking, his fists tight on either of his side, “None of you _cared_ — None of you saw the world the way I did— Why should I be thrown aside for being  _different_ ?”

“It is that very difference that will  _destroy_ us!” Mr. Jeon stands and Jungkook tenses in his place, mouth agape as his father’s face is a burning red— “Your actions tarnish the very name we toiled away to build upon. You threw us away like we were nothing— all because you were selfish enough to _want_ something that wasn’t  _meant_ for  _you_ .”

The elder’s eyes shifted to glance to the elder male behind Jungkook.

“Did you really think a  _Kim_ would want to stay with you like this? You kid yourself, you ungrateful brat. You have  _nothing_ !”

Jungkook staggers in his place as he swallows the lump in his throat, he vaguely, almost instinctually turns to his mother— a child’s natural call for help— and yet, he is met with eyes that held only disappointment. He turns to his older brother who does not even meet his own gaze.

Jungkook feels his blood run cold.

He has nothing.

_Nothing_.

No one.

A strong hand grabs his own and pulls him back, before he realizes it, his pale and tear-stained face is tucked in between Taehyung’s neck and shoulder.

“We’re leaving.” Is all Taehyung says, before all Jungkook feels then is a strong gust of wind whipping around them, the elder apparating them away from the estate before Jungkook could chance a glance back at his family.

  
  


They arrive back in the apartment, Jungkook quickly detaching himself from the elder as he walks toward the door, panting as if he had run through a marathon. He didn’t know what he was doing— he came there thinking that he’d set things right, that he’d prove to his family that he was different from the fearful coward that he was before. But.  Nothing has changed .

In a split second, he’s reminded of why he didn’t deserve all of this— of  _Taehyung_ . How could he possibly stay with Taehyung after what had just happened? He couldn’t even defend him from the onslaught of his own family! Who was he trying to fool? That an estranged son of Jeon could be with the prominent son of Kim? What a joke!

“Jungkook,” Taehyung calls out and it’s so painfully soft and gentle, as if he was afraid to scare him away. But it’s not that— Jungkook is more afraid of  _himself_ . 

He shakes his head, “No,  _no_ — Tae—“

“ _Baby_ ,” Taehyung takes a step closer and freezes when Jungkook takes a step back.

It’s pointless. No matter how hard Jungkook tries to be better, it’s just not enough. There’s no reason for this— there’s no reason for Taehyung to be  here .

“This is all— it’s— it’s not  _right_ .” Jungkook claws at his black hair. The heavy and thunderous voice of his father booming in his head.

_ You have nothing . _

A selfish nobody desperately clinging to a person who was better off somewhere else, somewhere  _better_ —  with _someone better_ _._ Jungkook felt like a parasite and it  _disgusted_ him.

A choked sob escapes him and Taehyung immediately closes the distance between them, throwing all caution out into the wind. He embraces the younger male tight in his arms. “Sweetheart,  _please_ , talk to me.” He begs, voice a panicked whisper. He does not feel Jungkook return his embrace and something cold settles inside of him. “Jungkook, darling?”

Jungkook closes his eyes and thinks. Because he  _knows_ , has been thinking for a while, of the uncertainty clouding before them. Before him and Taehyung. Ever since he met the former Slytherin, it had been nothing short of a dream— he had met people whom he had called his new family, met someone who accepted him and gave him a new step in life, saw the world beyond the ground and the trees— Taehyung had given him more than what he could ever wish for.

But what had  _he_ given him in return?

_ You have nothing . _

What do you give someone when you have nothing to begin with? When you, yourself, was nothing in the eyes of the world?

_How selfish could you be?_

Jungkook feels the way the elder’s arms wrap tighter around him, like a snake holding his prey, but the thing is— even as prey, Jungkook sees nothing of use from himself.

And yet, here is Taehyung, refusing to let him go. His voice a hoarse whisper of fearful questions and encouraging words, begging for a response.  _Any_ kind of response.

The thing is, Jungkook has his own limits— and perhaps this is it.

Some birds are just not meant to be caged, their feathers are too bright and too pure, too strong to keep contained behind steel bars. That was Taehyung to Jungkook. It was wrong of Jungkook to keep him here, to keep him by his side when Taehyung deserved more, deserved  _better_.

Jungkook was not that.

He was  _nothing_.

“—et go.”

Taehyung freezes and pulls his head back, hands reaching to cup his cheeks, cheeks that were covered in tears. “What? What did—“

“I said  _let go_. ” Jungkook replies and it’s dull but spiteful. He pulls back away himself, unable to wait any longer as Taehyung ogles at him and the words that had left his mouth. “We— We should never— We should never have—“

_We should never have met._

_We should never have fallen in love._

_We should never have been together._

And yet, once again, the selfish part of him refuses to budge and say those words out loud.

“Jungkook, what are you—“ Taehyung moves to reach forward but Jungkook shakes his head, refusing his touch. The pain in his eyes set something in Jungkook— regret, hurt, anger— “Baby,  _please_ ,”

“No. This— This was _never_ going to work, Taehyung.” Jungkook finds his voice despite feeling like it isn’t his own. It felt like he was watching this unfold through another person’s eyes.

Taehyung looks as if the entire cosmos had stopped breathing.

“ What ?” He croaks and his eyes shine at the tears threatening to fall. “ _What_? How could you say that?”

“My family—“

“Your family has nothing to do with this— with  _us_ !” Taehyung bellows and it’s a voice Jungkook has never heard from him before. There’s hurt and sorrow and desperation— emotions someone like Taehyung should never feel in his entire lifetime.

And yet, this was all Jungkook could give him.

“I  _can’t_ — I don’t—“ Jungkook ducks his head and cries, “You don’t deserve someone like me.”

Taehyung reaches over and grabs him by the shoulders, “Why must you decide on that? I chose  _you_ , Jungkook. I’d choose you over anyone—“

“You _shouldn’t_.” Jungkook sighs, a defeated glow casts over his eyes. “I’ve given you nothing, Taehyung.”

“You’ve given me  _everything_ !”

Jungkook shakes his head and forces the elder’s hands away. When he looks up, it’s to the sight of a crying Taehyung, hands in the air— hoping for a chance to reach out and touch— but Jungkook knows that there are limits to his happiness.

“Jungkook—  _please_ ,” Taehyung says, “Don’t run away—“

“Taehyung—“

“No. Don’t turn away from me, don’t run away, stop being such a—“ He pauses and his eyes widen at the words that failed to leave him— but Jungkook knows. They both do.

“A what? A  _coward_ ? Say it, Taehyung.” Jungkook challenges, fresh tears streaming down his face. “Say that I’m nothing but a coward who couldn’t stand on my own— not even against my own father.”

“No, that’s not—“

“You don’t need me. What use is a coward to you, anyway?” Jungkook sobs and his heart breaks, like a glass ornament thrown aside, every shard stabbing at him from the inside with every breath it takes, “You don’t need me to be happy. You should just forget about me, about all of this.”

“Jungkook,  _no_ —“ Taehyung weakly begs but tenses when something comes into light.

In the younger male’s hand is a wand.

A wand slowly being directed at  _him_ .  


There’s a tense silent between them as the seconds pass by. Neither of them inching to make a move.

Because it doesn’t take a genius to see which choice Jungkook has made at that very moment.

“... I’m sorry.” Jungkook whispers, offering the elder one last small smile.  _I don’t want to hurt you anymore._

“ Jungkook —“

_I will always... love you_ . Jungkook breathes as he grips the handle of his wand tight.

Yes, he is selfish.

Jungkook closes his eyes and takes one more slow breath.

But not selfish enough to keep Taehyung forever.

“ _Obliviate_ .”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :(((((
> 
> * Obliviate or The Memory Charm, also known as the Forgetfulness Charm, was a charm that could be used to erase specific memories from an individual's mind.
> 
> Twitter: @aureumie


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was never meant to be... or was it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Where is my angel? /  
> The end of a tiring day /  
> Someone come and save me, please"
> 
> \- BTS - Blue & Grey

Taehyung feels like he had been floating on thin clouds— weightless, a fleeting thing ready to fall at any given moment. His eyes flutter open slowly and he finds himself on his bed, and yet the memories of how he got here are vague and blurry. He sits up, rubbing his eyes and running his hands through his hair. Looking around, he sees nothing amiss in his London apartment.

Strange.

He feels— strange.

Yet he can’t quite put a finger on what it is that is missing, that is making him feel something is _wrong_.

 _It must be from the travel_ , He thinks resolutely, stretching as he leaves the bed and walks over to the windows to pull the curtains back. The skies are bright and the sun is shining. That’s right— he had arrived here yesterday from London for the break before the new semester in Hogwarts starts.

He wonders what he should do today—perhaps he should visit Namjoon? Check out the Herbologist and see what little plant has grown in his garden of a house. Or stop over and say hello to Yoongi? But that would probably lead to the elder Slytherin burning his hair off for bothering him at work in the Ministry. Then, maybe he should stop over to check out Seokjin’s brimming future hotel and probably get a free meal out of it? Or check on Hoseok through a quick phone call to Seoul? Or maybe Jimin and see what potion his best friend has been brewing lately or—

Or—

Taehyung pauses.

Or— _what_?

Who else would he visit? Who else—?

 _There’s an unclear shadow, a blur, that crosses his mind_ — _and eyes_ _—_ _eyes that shone_ _—_

Taehyung groans as he grabs the side of his head. Hissing in pain, he stumbles to his suitcase to grab at his medicine bag, popping a few painkillers in. He heaves a sigh as he rubs his temple, thinking that the sudden headache was due to the hectic travel back to London.

“... What was that?” He muses, frowning. He walks back to the window and looks down, sees a few people starting to leave their homes and start their day— sees little kids meeting up and saying hellos while their mothers begin to gossip in the sidewalk and sees—

A flicker of yellow and black—

Taehyung blinks. But whatever he saw was no longer there. Was he imagining things? He probably hadn’t slept long enough last night. Shaking his head, he leaves the window to start preparing for the day—

Jungkook looks up from across the road, concealed in between the shadows of two buildings, half of his face covered in his yellow and black scarf, with a coat that was too big and too heavy over his shoulders. He grips his suitcase tight in his hand and looks longingly at the window— sees the glimpse of the elder looking out the window and, for a brief moment, feels his heart sing and cry when Taehyung’s eyes flicker towards his direction.

And yet—his body instinctively moves further into the shadows, away from view. Hiding.

 _What a coward you are._ He thinks as he watches on, waits until Taehyung goes back further inside his room before he leans against the wall and lowers his head.

His eyes are red-rimmed, shadows darker than black underneath them due to lack of sleep. How could he? When the last thing he did was cast a spell onto his beloved to make him forget?

Forget everything that they had.

Forget _him_.

“It’s for the best.” Jungkook mumbles to himself as he once more looks at the now empty window. He offers it one more sad smile before he turns around and leaves.

Leaves everything behind.

Taehyung is dressed in a long brown coat, a green vest and tan slacks as he makes his way towards Yoongi, wanting to visit the elder Slytherin despite knowing full well what consequences would come his way if he did. The elder is a growing figure in the Ministry and Yoongi has always prided himself in his work. Besides, Taehyung misses his fellow Daegu-born Slytherin and it’s been so long since they’d last met, it felt only right to visit him.

There’s a skip in his step as he walks along the dark emerald black tiles of the Ministry building after walking out of the teleportation system, eyes scanning the wide and open lobby area. There’s a huge ceiling above and a magically moving picture of the Minister hanging proudly. Through the corner of his eye, he sees the elder, walking towards the elevator briskly with a purpose in his step.

“Hyung!” Taehyung calls out, ignoring and offering a shy smile to some employees who flinch at his outburst. He excuses himself and chases after the elder just in time before the elevator’s door close, much to the chagrin of the operator. “Sorry, excuse me—”

“Taehyung?” Yoongi’s eyes are wide, incredulously looking at the younger male who grins back that annoyingly affectionate boxy smile of his. “What are you doing here?”

“Thought I’d stop by and visit my favorite Daegu hyung.”

Yoongi huffs, “I’m you’re _only_ Daegu hyung, brat.” Taehyung laughs as the elevator doors close, bringing them up and surprisingly, forward. “Is it just you?” Yoongi asks, eyes scanning briefly for a sign of a bunny-toothed, black haired male who was practically glued to his side.

“Yeah?” Taehyung cocks his head to the side, “Why? Were you expecting someone else to come with me?”

“Well—”

“Oh, I get it.” Taehyung wiggles his eyebrows, “You wanted to see Jiminnie, right? Last I heard, he was sporting a very vibrant violet of a hair. I thought it looked great on him— What’d you think, hyung?”

“Fuck off, Kim Taehyung.”

Taehyung’s laugh echoes all throughout the endless and maze-like elevator shaft.

When they get to Yoongi’s office, which is amazing in itself given how young and new the elder was at the job, Taehyung had already shared his enthusiastic start at Hogwarts as a student-teacher, excitedly chatting away at his students and their willingness to learn about the stars.

“So,” Yoongi says, sitting on his leather chair with a playful smirk, “That’s fun and all but did you get to see him around?”

Taehyung blinks, tilting his head, “Who?”

Yoongi gives him a mischievous gummy smile, “Don’t play the fool, Taehyung. We both know he’s the real reason why you decided to come back to Hogwarts in the first place.”

Taehyung doesn’t look like he’s getting the hint at all, if his blank look is anything to go by. But Yoongi is undeterred.

“Oh, so we’re playing _this_ game, huh?” Yoongi shakes his head, an almost fond smile crossing his face at his junior’s act.

But Taehyung— Taehyung has no clue what he’s talking about, _who_ he’s talking about. “… Hyung, who are you talking about?”

That gets the elder to stop and— _think_. “What?” He says, sitting up straighter, looking back at the utterly lost and confused expression on the younger male’s face. Genuine curiosity. Truthful questioning. Yoongi’s brows are furrowed as he leans forward. He’s an Auror— a policeman so to say— and he wasn’t a former Slytherin for no reason.

Yoongi’s eyes sharpen and his mouth is a firm line. “Taehyung, what are you talking about?”

“I—” Taehyung croaks before he lets out an almost nervous laugh. “What are _you_ talking about, hyung?”

“Taehyung, stop kidding around—”

“Oh, wait— is this a prank?” Taehyung grins, “You were going to scare me with a ghost, right? Like, who? Peeves? Oh, wait, the Grey Lady? That’s Ravenclaw’s ghost, you know?”

Yoongi looks— how should Taehyung put it—on edge? The elder stands and opens his mouth, “I meant Jung—”

Loud knocks interrupt their conversation and before Taehyung and Yoongi could carry on, there’s another Auror stepping into Yoongi’s office looking frantic.

“Yoongi-ssi— there’s been an emergency—” He says and stops midway when he sees Taehyung in the room, “Oh, I apologize, I didn’t mean to interrupt—”

“No, it’s okay. I should be leaving,” Taehyung stands, offering the other auror a kind smile before turning to give the elder Slytherin his boxy smile, “I’ll go ahead, hyung. You’re called for work and I don’t want to bother—”

“Wait, Taehyung—”

“I’ll see you around!” Taehyung says, waving a hand before the elder could stop him.

Taehyung leaves the Ministry with a sense of emptiness— don’t get him wrong, it’s always fun to meet Yoongi but something was off at that moment, the moment when the elder had brought about him wanting to see someone. Who else was he supposed to meet at Hogwarts? There was no other reason for him to go back to his alma mater other than to fulfill a dream of his of wanting to teach— to share his knowledge and enthusiasm of the stars to future generations of witches and wizards—

 _A glimpse of yellow and black crosses his mind_ — 

_followed by an airy laugh_ — _and nature_ — 

_the sound of a beast’s hooves on the dirt, wings flapping, trees rustling in the wind_ —

“Ugh,” Taehyung grunts, pausing in the middle of the bustling Ministry lobby as his head throbs. It’s just like earlier in his room— a sharp yet throbbing pain hits him like a speeding truck in a freeway, causing him to stumble a little in his steps, hand coming up to hold the side of his head.

It takes a while for his vision to stop turning and he takes in a deep breath as he straightens himself out, not minding the strange looks darting towards him. He takes in a gulp and shakes his head off. _Again…_ He muses, frowning. _Perhaps I should have a look with a doctor about this? Or_ — _No, it’s probably nothing serious._

He pockets his hands and almost laughs at himself, thinking back to the glimpse of yellow and black that’s plaguing his thoughts. _What was that?_ He thinks as he decides to pay a visit to Namjoon next— perhaps the elder would have some medicinal herb ready to alleviate his throbbing headache.

Taehyung arrives at Namjoon’s apartment, glimpses of plants peeking through the windows and climbing on the walls. It brings an affectionate albeit exasperated smile on the younger male. He brings a hand up to knock when the door itself opens and Taehyung finds himself nearly blinded by the otherworldly beauty that was Kim Seokjin.

“Well, if it isn’t the little snake, himself.” Seokjin offers the younger male a small smile, opening his arms, “Come on then, give your favorite hyung a hug.”

Taehyung rolls his eyes fondly though he does give the elder a hug (else he’ll face the wrath of a Veela-blooded wizard). “It’s been a while, hyung.” He says, “Why are you here yourself?”

“I thought I’d pay a visit to our bubbling herbologist and let me tell you, what a good choice it was on my part,” Seokjin says, closing the door behind them as if he owned the place, leading Taehyung into the living room. “Had I not stopped by for a visit, Namjoon here would have died out of starvation! Can you imagine, Taehyung? The man hasn’t stopped working to have a bite to eat for almost _two_ days!”

Taehyung’s eyes widen before looking hurriedly for the elder, only to find him on a chair with a scrumptious meal laid out in front of him. A plate of scrumptious, juicy lamb lay in the center of the table with bowls of chicken soup, baked beans, fresh, leafy salad and baked potatoes circling around the plate like a halo, not to mention the tray of sweets and little tarts at the side. The youngest in the room gives out a laugh, “Well, it sure looks like he wouldn’t starve at this point.”

“Of course he wouldn’t,” Seokjin huffs, crossing his arms and giving a pout to the former Hufflepuff, “I _swear_ , Namjoon, I understand you love your work and all but you need to take care of yourself—”

“I was _almost_ done, hyung, I _swear_ — Any minute I was just about to extract the right amount of sap from the _Alihotsy_ leaf— just to induce a few giggles and not massive hysteria and I’d be taking a break,” Namjoon explains, pausing his spoon of rich chicken soup broth mid-air.

Seokjin has had enough of excuses it seems as he takes hold of Namjoon’s hand and leads the spoon into his open mouth without a second to waste, “Goodness! You’re already skin and bones! Are Hufflepuffs always this so engrossed with their own work?”

Namjoon gives the eldest a sheepish smile before blinking to Taehyung’s direction, taking the spoon out of his mouth, “Oh, don’t be ridiculous, hyung— Sure, me and Jungkookie tend to work a bit too much—”

“Not _a bit_ —” Seokjin pouts and Namjoon reaches over to hold his hand for comfort.

“Anyway, I think I’m not as bad as Jungkookie, right, Tae?” Namjoon chuckles before he pauses to see the absentminded look on Taehyung’s face.

“Honestly, that brat needs a bit of disciplining as well! When I had heard that he had nearly collapsed during his examinations— _Merlin’s beard_! Do you Hufflepuffs have a thing for causing Gryffindors _and_ Slytherins heart attacks?” Seokjin pauses when he traces after Namjoon’s line of vision, turning back to look at Taehyung, “Tae?”

Taehyung flinches in surprise. “Huh?”

Namjoon places the spoon down and gives the younger male a smile, “I’m surprised you’re here on your own, Taehyung. I thought you’d be coming over with Jungkookie today. Weren’t you two coming back together for the break?”

Seokjin claps his hands, “Of course! I had almost forgot, I should go and ready some of Jungkookie’s favorite biscuits—”

“I’m—” Taehyung rubs the back of his neck, shyly and strangely—guilty. He didn’t know why he was feeling this way when he didn’t even know _who_ this _Jungkookie_ was. “I’m sorry, I just—”

Namjoon tilts his head, confused. “What’s the apology for?” He stands then, taking the table napkin off his collar to place on the table, “Jungkookie’s running a little late? That boy tends to get a bit distracted every now and then, after all.”

The two elders share a fond laugh at the thought of this _Jungkookie_. Taehyung bites the bottom of his lip before he clears his throat.

“I’m sorry, hyung, but—” Taehyung swallows, throat suddenly going dry. “Who—Who are you talking about?”

The silence that followed was enough of an answer.

Seokjin’s eyes widen a fraction and he fishmouths at Taehyung before he turns to Namjoon. A few seconds pass before he lets out an almost forced laugh, “Oh! Is this a little prank? You two little rascals— All right, come on out, Jungkookie—”

Taehyung does not move. Jungkook does not show.

Seokjin freezes in his place and feels his fingers go cold.

“Taehyung, what—” Seokjin croaks, “What do you mean _who_?”

“I—” Taehyung takes a step back, suddenly cornered at the _reaction_ of the two elder wizards. Whoever this Jungkook was seemed to be someone very important— to them, at least, and—

“Taehyung,” Namjoon’s solid voice makes him flinch. “Did something happen? Is he all right?”

There’s a strangled noise at the back of Seokjin’s throat at the thought that _something_ had happened and he holds his own hands together, a nervous habit.

“I don’t know,” Taehyung softly croaks out, “I don’t know who you’re talking about—”

“ _Of course_ , you do,” Seokjin says, now a desperation to his voice that Taehyung has never heard of before. “Jungkook! Jeon Jungkook! Taehyung, how can you forget your own boyfriend?”

_Boyfriend?_

Taehyung shakes his head, nervous laughter escaping his lips as he backs away from the room. “No— No, I— I don’t have—”

“ _Taehyung_ ,” Namjoon is walking towards him but Taehyung feels as if he didn’t belong there right at that very moment— he felt alienated.

“I don’t know anyone by that name. I don’t know who they are.” Taehyung says and the look on Seokjin’s face fleets from anger— probably thinking it was still a prank—to sadness, upset at the realization that suddenly crosses his mind.

Taehyung grips the side of his head, the throbbing sensation coming back in small ripples. “I don’t know who you’re talking about—”

“Calm down, come, let’s sit and talk this out—” Namjoon is close enough to reach out and touch him but Taehyung pulls away.

“No—” Taehyung grunts.

 _There’s the sound of leaves rustling again, the soft turning of pages and the low whistle of a kettle_ — _the odd smell of morning dew and fresh flowers_ —

 _The familiar and warm sight of yellow and black_ —

“Taehyung!” Seokjin gasps as the youngest staggers in his place. Namjoon manages to catch hold of him before he completely fell only to be pushed back.

“No, don’t touch me—” Taehyung winces, eyes darting from Namjoon to Seokjin, taking steps back. “I— I have to go.”

“Wait, Taehyung—” Namjoon calls out but it’s too late, the younger wizard apparates away from them.

Now alone in the room, Seokjin walks over to Namjoon, taking hold of his arm, “Namjoon, what was _that_? What just happened? Taehyung, he—He doesn’t _remember_ Jungkook?”

Namjoon frowns, turning to look at the elder wizard, “I don’t know, hyung.” He says grimly before he looks past Seokjin’s shoulder and sees his owl, perched on a branch nearby. “But maybe he does.”

Seokjin looks back and sees the owl looking back at them as if responding to his owner’s call. “Jungkookie?”

“There’s only one way to find out, right?” Namjoon says, beckoning for the grand bird who comes quickly to rest on his shoulder. “Find him for us, will you?”

The owl gives a single hoot before he flies out of the window.

It’s Hoseok who finds him.

He finds Jungkook in a park, looking worse for wear a small luggage bag in hand. The former Gryffindor brings him to Jimin’s apartment, the closest one, where he was greeted with a frantic Ravenclaw, quickly warming him up and giving him a mug of hot cocoa.

“It’s probably not as good as what Taehyung would make for you but I hope it helps,” He had said offhandedly and then turns to find Jungkook ready to burst into tears, eyes wide and mouth trembling, cheeks turning a blotchy red. “J-Jungkookie, oh, _Jungkook_ —”

The Hufflepuff breaks down then, ducking his head with hands shaking. Hoseok is fast to take the mug from his hands while Jimin jumps forward to embrace the younger male.

“It’s okay,” Jimin says softly. “Let it out, it’s _okay_ —”

Jungkook does.

He lets out the most strangled and painful cry Jimin has ever heard from him. It makes the elder hug him tighter, ignoring the feel of his tears staining his shirt. Hoseok reaches forward to rub small circles over Jungkook’s back, which only makes him cry harder.

After a few moments, when the cries had begun to soften, Jimin lifts the younger male’s face in his hands and wipes at his tear-stained cheeks.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Jimin asks, offering him a small smile. “Did you two have a fight?”

Jungkook does not reply, he only cries, bringing his face back to Jimin’s chest.

Jimin sighs, rubbing the back of his head silently.

Hoseok exchanges a look with the younger male before he reaches forward to hug at Jungkook’s back. “It’s okay, Jungkookie. You talk to us when you’re ready.”

It hurt to see Jungkook like this. Jimin looks out of his window and wonders where Taehyung is himself— and hopes that his best friend is all right as well—

Taehyung doesn’t know what had just happened. His hands are still trembling from the visit at Namjoon’s place and he finds himself stumbling back in his room, close to throwing up, his head pulsating painfully without mercy—

 _Flashes of yellow and black_ — _The feel of warm yet calloused hands against his own_ —

Taehyung’s vision swims and he falls against the door, heaving for a breath.

 _An airy laugh and almond-shaped eyes that shone as bright as the stars_ —

What was happening to him?

He grips the sides of his head, tears unknowingly forming at the edges of his eyes.

It hurt. It _hurt_ so much.

It felt like something was violently tearing at his heart open.

What was this pain? Why was it happening to him?

 _Again_ — _yellow and black_ —

_Again._

_AGAIN._

Taehyung gasps, “… J-Jungkookie?” He asks, more to himself. _No. That doesn’t make sense. Why would he remember someone he doesn’t even know to begin with. Who was this Jungkook? Why did his name come out of his lips? Who_ —

There’s the sound of rustling and Taehyung jerks his head up to see his ceiling lights flickering. He looks around, senses _magic_. Then, without a second to waste, black smoke appears before him and Yoongi steps out from it, concern etched on his face as he looks around the room before his feline-like eyes landed on the Slytherin sitting on the floor, leaning against his door.

“Hyung—” Taehyung croaks out and Yoongi walks over to him, kneeling before him to reach forward, hand touching his shoulder, a reassuring weight for the younger male.

“ _Fuck_.” Yoongi mutters under his breath. Taehyung blinks, confused.

“Hyung, why are you here? I thought— I thought you were—”

Yoongi’s eyes locked on to Taehyung, “ _This_ was the emergency, Taehyung.”

“What?” The younger male croaks.

Yoongi’s mouth is pressed into a firm line.

_“There was report of a use of magic by a Hogwarts’ student within the city. It’s new. But the magic is not something simple_ —”

_Yoongi takes hold of the document passed onto him, “What kind of magic was it? Offensive?”_

_“No but,” His fellow Auror pauses, “It’s a_ — _a memory charm.”_

 _“Memory?” Yoongi narrows his gaze, “So, it could’ve been a muggle who had seen wizards_ _—_ _if they had committed a crime, we’d have lost witnesses_ _—_ _”_

 _“Min,” His coworker clears his throat, eyes glancing to the folder. “Open the folder and have a look. I think_ — _I think you should see for yourself.”_

 _Yoongi’s eyes dart to the other before he looks down and flips the folder open_ _—_

_His heart stops._

_Because clipped in the folder was Jeon Jungkook’s picture looking back at him._

It’d been a while for Jungkook to have fallen asleep. His cheeks were stained with tear tracks and his cheeks were flushed but he was tucked securely on the couch, warm blanket over his trembling body. Jimin watches for a bit before he runs a hand through Jungkook’s hair, smiling sadly at the younger male. Hoseok is sitting at the chair just adjacent to the couch, eyes never leaving the younger male since he had arrived.

“I wonder what happened to them, hyung.” Jimin whispers softly, turning to look at the elder who simply shakes his head in turn.

“I don’t know and I don’t want to assume.” Hoseok answers back, sighing.

For a minute, only silence is shared between the two until they hear small tapping by the window. When Jimin turns around, it’s to the sight of Namjoon’s owl hovering outside. The young Ravenclaw hurries to open the window, letting the owl in.

“Namjoon?” Jimin asks softly, weary of the sleeping male on his couch. He watches as the owl perches comfortably just above his fireplace, a small pouch attached to its leg. Jimin takes it from the owl and peeks inside, sees magic powder inside. He gives the owl a little belly rub and a treat before he throws the powder just at the fireplace. There’s a flash of bright yellow light before the flames begin to slowly reflect back what looks like Namjoon’s home— “Hyung,”

Hoseok sits more upright now upon seeing the flames light up.

“Jimin? Hoseok?” Namjoon comes into view in the flames and Seokjin was just right behind him. “Is Jungkook there with you?”

“He is,” Jimin says, moving aside a little to show the elders his sleeping figure on the couch behind him. “I found him at the park earlier and brought him back. He didn’t tell me anything yet—I think he and Taehyung fought—”

Namjoon’s grim expression doesn’t seem to help the theories running in Jimin’s head.

“Namjoon? What happened?” Hoseok asks.

“It’s— It’s Taehyung. He was here moments ago and we had talked,” Namjoon starts slowly, “He— He doesn’t remember him, Hoseok.”

“What?” Jimin looks at them as if they had just grown another set of heads. “What are you talking about— That’s impossible—”

“No,” Seokjin says, “Taehyung— He doesn’t know, he doesn’t _remember_ Jungkook.” There’s pain in the elder’s voice that makes it more real, more—

Jimin slumps back, at a loss for words. Meanwhile, Hoseok remains quiet in his place, hands gripping a the sides of his chair. The young Ravenclaw looks back to Jungkook’s form and then back at his fireplace.

“What—” Is all he could say.

“We thought maybe Jungkook would be able to tell us what had happened,” Namjoon says, eyes looking back over Jimin’s shoulder before he offers the younger male a small smile, “But I don’t think he’s in any condition to talk too.”

“Oh my god,” Jimin wheezes, “Taehyung? What about Taehyung? Is he all right? Where is he?”

“I don’t know— He left when we were asking him about Jungkook—”

“This can’t be happening,” Jimin shakes his head before he runs his hand through his hair, “It’s not possible— There’s no way— The only kind of magic that could do something like this would be some form of memory charm—”

“Memory charm,” Namjoon mutters before realization dawns on his face. “You think someone had cast the _Obliviate_ charm at Taehyung to forget Jungkook?”

Jimin’s heart stops but it’s Hoseok who voices out the questions running through his head, “But who would do that? Just— _who_?”

Namjoon doesn’t have the answer. Seokjin’s silence is no better. But they didn’t have to wait long to know—

“I did it.”

Jimin freezes for a moment before he slowly turns back to look at the younger male on his couch, he had sat upright at this point, blanket resting atop his shoulders, his eyes were red-rimmed and he looked absolutely devastated.

“I cast the _Obliviate_ charm on Taehyung.” He says, devoid of life, of emotion—

Jimin staggers to get up, hands trembling at his sides, “Jungkookie— _why_?”

Jungkook ducks his head, “Taehyung deserves more.”

“No, _no_ —” Jimin shakes his head, going towards him to kneel at his side, taking hold of his hands. “No, Jungkook— how could you think that? Just, _why?”_

 _“He doesn’t need me in his life!_ ” Jungkook cries out, fresh tears streaming down his face. “What could I give him in return, hyung? Nothing! Because I have nothing—I _am_ nothing! I don’t— He can’t—”

“Jungkookie—” Hoseok whispers under his breath, reaching for the younger male to stay by his other side.

Namjoon and Seokjin at the other side seem to have nothing to say either, too stunned to hear what had happened.

“This is for the best, hyung.” Jungkook mutters, more to himself than anybody else in the room. “This is for the best— for the both of us.”

Before Jimin could argue, before he could rid Jungkook of such thoughts, his phone rings. Briefly, he wants to cast an explosive charm on the thing because it wasn’t the time to be answering a phone call. But then Hoseok is wrapping an arm around Jungkook’s broken form and giving Jimin a small smile, nodding his head to the phone.

Begrudgingly, the younger male stands up and heads for his phone. He doesn’t expect the gravelly voice of Min Yoongi on the other end of the line.

“Hyung!” Jimin gasps, “Oh my god, you won’t believe what happened, hyung— It’s Jungkookie and Taehyung—”

“ _I know_.”

Jimin freezes, eyes darting to where Hoseok and the fire showing Namjoon and Seokjin are. “What? You _know_?”

“ _I’m with Taehyung_.”

“Oh my— Is he all right? Is Taehyung fine?”

The mention of the elder’s name seems to shock Jungkook out of his stupor. He turns around and stares at Jimin, eyes wide open.

“T-Taehyung?” He whimpers.

“ _Yeah. I cast a sleeping charm for him, he didn’t seem to be doing too well when I came over. He was close to having a panic attack_.”

“Panic attack?” Jimin croaks and senses Jungkook bolting out of his place.

“Hyung?” Jungkook croaks, hands wringing nervously at the blanket around him.

“ _He’s fine. I’m watching over him but_ —” Yoongi clears his throat, “ _I don’t know if I can handle it myself_.”

“...” Jimin looks to Hoseok’s direction, shares a silent conversation with him before flicking his eyes to where Namjoon and Seokjin were. “Okay. I’ll be there.” He places the phone down and turns to Jungkook, offering the younger male a small smile.

“It was Yoongi-hyung. He’s with Taehyung now, Jungkookie. Don’t worry—”

Jungkook winces before he shakes his head, sinking back down and bringing his head in his hands, “No, I— I don’t have any right to— I shouldn’t—”

“Jungkookie, don’t do this to yourself.” Hoseok whispers, bringing his hands back around the younger male. “You can’t hold back what you feel about him so easily—you know that. Don’t put yourself into that position, please? You’re only going to hurt yourself even more.”

Jungkook shuts his eyes tight, unable to cry any more tears— 

Everything hurt.

 _Everything_.

Jimin reaches over to kneel in front of him, taking his hands in his own. “I’ll go and check on Taehyung, see how he’s doing— don’t leave Hoseokie-hyung’s side okay?”

“We’ll be there, soon.” Namjoon says, offering the three a smile. “Everything will be all right, Jungkookie.”

 _No, it won’t._ Jungkook thinks blindly. Because he had done this. He had caused this huge crack to form. He had destroyed everything he had dreamed of.

Because he wasn’t strong and selfish enough to keep Taehyung in his life.

Taehyung wakes up on his bed— he hadn’t realized he had fallen asleep then, the last thing he remembers is seeing Yoongi in his room, looking concerned and somewhat frantic. He slowly gets up on his bed, looking for any sign of the elder to find none, save for the mug of tea on his bedside table.

Taehyung reaches for his head, groaning. The headache had somehow subsided for a bit but he worries it’ll come back like a raging bull again—

He can’t take any more of this.

He moves his hand to his chest, massaging a bit, remembers the sensation of _pain, pain, pain_ — like his heart was being ripped open. He never wanted to experience that again.

Taehyung gets out of bed then, making his way out of his bedroom to find Yoongi by the window of his living room, looking contemplatively out of the window.

“Hyung? You’re still here?” Taehyung croaks out, clearing his throat, not realizing just how thirsty he had been.

Yoongi turns around and sighs, “You should have drunk the tea I put beside you.” He shakes his head before he awkwardly makes his way to the couch, motioning for him to sit down.

Taehyung gulps and follows, not really understanding why the elder was here other than what he had just said earlier— that _this_ was the emergency he was called to. Taehyung didn’t understand it. What was there to be worried about that an _Auror_ had to be called? Was it his headaches? Was something happening to him? Some kind of curse?

Taehyung’s pallor must have been noticeable given that Yoongi is reaching out for him, “Hey, hey. Breathe. Talk to me, Tae.”

“Hyung, you said— you said that _this_ was the emergency you were called for earlier. Is it— Is it me? Is something happening to me?” Taehyung asks, eyes darting to the elder. “I keep getting headaches and I feel— I feel like I’m missing something. I don’t understand what’s happening to me, hyung. Please, can you help me?”

Yoongi firmly holds his shoulder. “I will. You just have to calm down for now.”

“Okay,” Taehyung takes a deep breath, running a hand through his hair in an effort to calm down. “Okay. I can do that.”

Then, there are knocks behind his door. Yoongi gets up and opens it for him and Taehyung stands to see Jimin by the other end.

“Jimin?”

“Tae!” Jimin exclaims, the sheer worry in his voice enough to make the Slytherin open his arms wide for his best friend. He catches Jimin, inhales his familiar scent and feels comforted. _This_. He _knows_ this. He knows Jimin.

His head throbs again.

 _“_ _You don’t need me_ _.”_

Taehyung pulls away, grunting in pain, unable to hear the worried call of Jimin and Yoongi nearby. His vision swims.

“ _What use is a coward to you, anyway?”_

The voice is oddly familiar— and it’s hurt. It’s _hurt_.

And it’s _hurting_ Taehyung too.

“No…” Taehyung groans, tumbling back. “That’s not true.”

“Taehyung?” Jimin manages to grab hold of his shoulders to prevent him from falling back, “What is it? What’s going on?”

“My head…” Taehyung groans. “I keep hearing things— and a voice—”

“A voice?” Yoongi questions, turns to look at Jimin who seems to have some kind of hopeful emotion flash by in his eyes.

“Is it… Is it Jungkook?” Jimin asks carefully and Taehyung gasps.

_Jungkook._

_Again?_

He throws Jimin back and groans in frustration. “I— I don’t know who that is, Jimin! Why do you— Why do you all keep mentioning him? Why do you keep telling me that he and I—”

“Because it’s the _truth_ , Tae!” Jimin says, taking a step back towards the other male. “Listen, Jungkook is here too. You have to meet— Please, listen to us.”

“No—” Taehyung shakes his head, “He’s— I don’t know him. I have _nothing_ to do with him.”

“Don’t say that.” Jimin looks close to crying. “You’re _everything_ to him. As much as he is to you.”

“Then, _why do I not know who he is?!_ ” Taehyung shouts back, anguish and distress in his voice. He’s had enough. He feels like his mind is playing tricks on him— forming this illusion of some person to give him a false sense of hope— that he had someone to care and love—

_Yellow and black flash by his vision._

_“... I’m sorry.”_

_A wand. Directed at him._

Taehyung’s hands reach to his head as he cries out in pain.

“Taehyung!” Yoongi runs over to grab hold of him at the same time Jimin does too. But the younger male fights back.

He’s had enough.

“I _don’t know_ who you’re talking about!” Taehyung cries out, pulling away from his friend’s grasp, unable to look at the pure devastation crossing on Jimin’s face or the hurt and the disappointment in Yoongi’s— “Whoever this person is, I-I—”

Taehyung takes a deep breath and his mind clouds over. It always felt like a thick fog would surround his mind, conceal every crevice from view as if keeping him away from a treasure no man should ever find. And no matter how hard he tries to search— he would always come back empty.

“I can’t find this person anywhere, and— and I’m becoming frantic—” Taehyung says, grabbing the sides of his head, desperate. “I feel, I always _feel_ like something is missing— but I don’t know what! I don’t even know who!”

“Taehyung—” Jimin’s voice is earth-shatteringly soft, it makes Taehyung wince back.

“ _Jimin_ ,” Taehyung breaks, “I— I don’t understand what’s happening.”

Jimin makes a strangled noise at the back of his throat and lowers his head, hands gripping at his sides, torn on whether to tell the truth or—

“Jungkook.” Yoongi says solemnly and slowly. “It’s Jungkook, Taehyung.”

Jimin glances warily at the elder before shifting his glace back at the younger Slytherin. He watches worriedly as Taehyung stands uncomfortably in the room, as if cornered like a wild animal.

“J-Jungkook…” The name rolls along his mouth, it feels strange yet familiar.

“He did this.” Yoongi says and Jimin’s head whips to his direction.

“Hyung!”

“What?” Taehyung croaks, eyes widening at the words coming from the elder. Jungkook— _Jungkook_ did this? Why? If this Jungkook was so special to him as what they keep telling him, then why would he erase his memories like this?

Would someone so dear to you do this to you?

Taehyung looks down at his hands, everything in his head swirling like a jumbled mess. It’s proving to be too much. It’s all just _too much_.

“Get out.”

Jimin and Yoongi looks back at the younger, shocked.

“No, Tae— I don’t think you should be alone—” Jimin tries to go closer but Taehyung glares angrily at them.

“Please. Just get out. This is too much— I can’t— I just— Please let me be alone.” He says through gritted teeth.

His mind whirls.

A consistent fog that never ceases to disappear— and glimpses of black hair, wide doe eyes and little scarred hands—

 _It’s too much_.

“Taehyung—” Yoongi says softly but the younger Slytherin turns around in his place, closing himself off, his back facing the two. The Auror sighs, reaching out to grab Jimin’s arm.

Jimin gasps, “Hyung? No— We can’t just leave him—”

“Come on,” Yoongi says under his breath, “It won’t do good for us to be here.”

Jimin looks torn, eyes glancing back worriedly at Taehyung’s back. “Taehyung…”

There’s a pregnant pause before Taehyung turns his head a little, not enough for Jimin to see his face but enough for him to hear him say, “Please, Jimin.”

Yoongi leans closer to the Ravenclaw, “Don’t worry, I’ll keep a close eye on him.” He whispers and Jimin sees a small gem in the elder’s hand that he discreetly slips under a side table. A secret bug just to make sure Taehyung is safe.

Jimin sighs, moving closer to Yoongi’s side— a whirl of wind and magic enveloping them both as they apparate away from Taehyung’s room.

When Jimin returns home with Yoongi by his side, he’s met with the rest of the group— Namjoon and Seokjin crowding around Jungkook’s sad figure on the couch. Neither of them able to get through to the younger male who had oped to distract himself by reading a book— a book on constellations—

Whether Jungkook was really trying to distract himself or just gutting himself even further, Jimin couldn’t say for sure but he hurriedly goes over the group to tell him what he had seen in Taehyung’s home.

“Jungkook,” Seokjin says, hand reaching out to touch his knee. The youngest had been stuck on a page about Polaris, finger tracing a picture of the bright star. “I know you— you would never, _could_ never do this without a good enough reason. And I can’t fathom what reason it could be for you to even think about casting this magic on Taehyung.”

Jungkook lowers his gaze further, blankly staring at the book with no other purpose other than to trace at the lines of stars. As if tracing the elder’s hand in his own—

“Talk to us, Kookie.” Namjoon coaxes, “We can help— We can figure this out.”

“Can this kind of magic even be reversible?” Hoseok whispers as Yoongi walks closer to the group, heart smile gone and replaced with a serious frown.

Yoongi closes his eyes with a heavy sigh, “It’s not common. _Obliviate_ is a memory charm and a person’s memories aren’t easy to recover— if done incorrectly, it could leave a big effect on the person.”

Hoseok curses softly under his breath.

“Jungkookie,” Jimin sits beside him, arm wrapping around his shoulders, “Talk to us. What happened? What made you do this? It just doesn’t make sense—”

“Were you threatened?” Seokjin asks, carefully observing the youngest’s reactions. Perhaps if he would lead the male on, they would get their answers. “Had someone said something?”

There’s a flinch.

They were getting somewhere.

“Who, Kookie?” Jimin asks, leaning closer to the youngest.

“It doesn’t matter,” Jungkook shakes his head, as if he had resolved the little debate in his head. “What’s done is done. I can’t change back what I had done. This is for the best.”

“It’s destroying you both.” Namjoon says, eyes boring down on the younger male, “I know it is. You can’t ignore it, Jungkook.”

Jungkook whimpers, biting at his bottom lip. Seokjin softly chastises the elder Hufflepuff for his approach.

“I know— I know but I— I couldn’t— I just couldn’t.” Jungkook sighs. “I have nothing else to give him, I know that, _they_ know that— Taehyung doesn’t deserve someone like me.”

“ _Doesn’t deserve_ —” Seokjin gasps, almost as offended as if _he_ had been told such a thing. “Who said that? There is no other person out there who deserves to be by Taehyung’s side but you.”

Jungkook offers the elder a small albeit sad smile, “… You’re just saying that, hyung.”

“No, it’s the truth. Do not question that, Jungkook.” Seokjin says, eyes serious.

Jungkook glances down at the book before he turns to Jimin, “You… went to him?”

Jimin offers him a small smile, “I did.”

“How— How was he?” Jungkook asks before he winces, “No— I don’t deserve to ask that, right? How could I ask that—” He lowers his head, hand reaching out to tug at his hair.

“Hey, not stop that.” Hoseok reaches over to gently pull his hand away.

“He was— He was okay.” Jimin says, eyes looking back to Yoongi.

“He’s been complaining of some headaches here and there but it could be part of the magic.” Yoongi adds sadly.

Jungkook sighs, upset to hear that but— _but_ —

"No, but," Jimin, kind and smart former Ravenclaw Jimin, sounds wrecked. Broken. "Jungkook, it's like he doesn't _know_ you— like he doesn't remember _who you are_."

Jungkook lifts his gaze from his book, none of the words he'd been staring at made any sense to him, nothing came to mind. Because there was only _Taehyung_. Only Taehyung occupied his mind now and it was eating him inside and out, little by little, every second of the way. Everywhere he turned in his head— there was Taehyung.

While _he_ was nowhere to be found in Taehyung’s.

And maybe he does deserve it. Because he was nothing but a _coward_ and he didn’t deserve him.

Jimin can see it— the way those eyes that had once held his best friend's galaxies were now turning into an empty pair of bleak nothingness— a black hole ready to consume and _take_. Jimin swallows the lump that's etched in his throat.

Jungkook offers the elder a small smile. Defeated. "That just makes this easier, hyung."

Jimin makes a strangled noise at the back of his throat, “How can you say that so easily? It’s not okay, Jungkook! None of this is!” He turns to Yoongi, “Hyung, please tell me this kind of magic is reversible?”

Yoongi’s silence makes the rest of the room almost wilt helplessly. The elder Slytherin heaves in a sigh, “It’s… never been tried before, just because it’s so risky. If not done correctly, it’ll mess with all the other memories in Taehyung’s head and he could be reduced to a vegetative state.”

Jimin whimpers before looking down at his hands, not missing the way Jungkook winces in his place, ducking his gaze away from anybody trying to look at him. It’s familiar— It’s just like the Jungkook before Taehyung.

“I still think we should let you two meet.” Hoseok says, his once chirpy smile gone and replaced with a serious line, “It might— Merlin’s beard, I don’t know— _Something_ might happen, right?”

“How could I possibly show myself to him after what I had done?” Jungkook says and gasps when he feels a rough tug at the back of his coat, head thrown back against the couch. Seokjin’s protests could be heard but Jungkook is staring back into a serious glare— Yoongi’s eyes boring down into his own from behind the couch.

“I don’t know what happened between you two before you decided to erase yourself from Taehyung’s memories, but it’s clear to me that the magic you did was incomplete—”

“What?” Jungkook blinks, croaking out a weak reply under the elder’s scrutinizing gaze.

“Taehyung’s been having— visions. Visions of you, it seems.” Yoongi says, “If it was truly the _Obliviate_ spell, none of this would be happening.”

Jimin seems to perk up at the words, “You mean? There’s a possibility of Taehyung being able to remember him?”

Jungkook’s eyes water as he bites his lips. “But— But I—”

“Don’t be afraid, Jungkook.” Yoongi says lowly and Jungkook breaks, cries under the elder’s gaze. “Knowing you, that’s precisely why you decided to cast this spell. You were _afraid_ , weren’t you? Afraid of not being enough for Taehyung? Afraid of hurting him in the future?”

Seokjin gasps, quickly clinging to Jungkook’s hands, “Jungkookie, no…”

“I just—” Jungkook sobs, no longer having the energy to fight back, to hide his tears, to pretend that he was okay— it’s all too much, too tiring. He’s tired. “I should’ve been stronger, should’ve been braver, but I’m not— My family said I could never be enough for him. I was _never_ enough for them, what more other people? What more Taehyung? He doesn’t deserve someone like me, he doesn’t deserve the weaknesses that I have, doesn’t deserve my fears— He doesn’t deserve a coward like myself, hyung.”

Namjoon walks slowly towards the younger Hufflepuff, his little brother basically, takes the younger male in his arms and tucks him under his chin, ignores the tears and the snot, ignores the shaking shoulders and the helpless gibberish that escapes his lips.

“I couldn’t think of anything else,” Jungkook cries, voice cracking and trembling, “I felt trapped there— felt trapped even with _him_. Is that normal? Is that okay? To think you would feel trapped with someone you love so dearly? But I did and I— I just—”

“Jungkookie, that’s enough,” Seokjin says, voice trembling as he quickly wipes away the tears brimming in his eyes, snuggling on the younger male’s back. “That’s _enough_.”

Yoongi pulls away and sighs, turning to Hoseok who shares his glance warily.

“It could be…” The elder Slytherin says, “It could be that.”

“What do you mean, hyung?” Hoseok asks.

“Magic always comes from the heart,” Yoongi says and it makes Jungkook slowly peek from Namjoon’s hold, tear-stained face flushed under the room’s light, “No magic should be cast half-heartedly, Jungkookie.”

Jungkook whimpers.

“The fact that you did explains a lot.” Yoongi says. “You never meant to do this, I know you do. You just— wanted to escape.”

Jungkook ducks his head.

Guilt.

Disgusting guilt wraps tightly around his heart.

“Jungkook,” Yoongi adds, “Because the magic wasn’t done correctly, there’s still a chance for Taehyung to remember, to recall everything. Don’t run away from this.”

Jimin gasps, eyes widening as he looks to the youngest in the room. There’s still a chance— a chance for everything to go back to how things were— “Jungkook!” He says, clutching to the younger male’s trembling hands, taking in his stunned expression, the wide doe eyes— the eyes that his best friend has only ever loved. “Jungkook, things can go back to how they were before! There’s still a chance!”

Jungkook looks at the hands holding his own, head running a hundred miles per hour. Go back? Go back to how it was? How it was supposed to be? Jungkook sighs. After all he had done— would Taehyung want him back? After he had betrayed the elder’s trust by erasing him and running away? Does he even deserve to stand in front of the elder once more after what he had done?

“Get out of your head, Jungkook.” Seokjin says sternly, sharp eyes staring into his own. Rarely does Seokjin use his stern voice, especially with the younger male, who he almost considers as if he was his own _son_. But right now, coddling isn’t what he needs— Jungkook needs a push out of his head— the black hole that his own flesh and blood had created and would easily discard him into at their own convenience.

Jungkook’s eyes begin to water again. But he’s tired. He’s just so tired. He’s tired of crying. He’s tired of being helpless, of being afraid and of being a coward.

But what can he do?

Sometimes, it’s much easier and much simpler to numb and push everything out— to be the bystander of his own life.

Especially when his own flesh and blood refuse to let him in their own.

Namjoon reaches over and cups his cheeks. “Everything will be all right, Jungkook.” He says as if he was the older brother Jungkook had only ever wanted in his life. They weren’t blood related but it felt like they shared it. It felt as warm as it was true.

Jungkook wants to believe it. He really wants to.

But the guilt is creeping back like the coils of a poisonous vine.

Because for that one moment, he betrayed the one person in his life who loves him for everything that he is and that he isn’t.

Does he deserve to have everything back to how it was?

Yoongi seems to sense the younger male’s apprehension. So, he reaches over and holds his shoulder, offering him a small smile. “You don’t have to do it today if you’re not ready. I’ll watch over Taehyung. In the meantime, get some rest and think it over. Can you imagine your life without Taehyung forever? Can you, Jungkook?”

Jungkook parts his lips with wide eyes.

“Taehyung has always loved you unconditionally.” Yoongi says, “I know you do as well. Both of you belong to each other, I don’t see it in any other way.”

“Hyung,” Jungkook croaks and moves, kneeling on the couch to pull the older Slytherin to a bone crushing hug, surprising the elder. “ _Hyung,_ I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything.”

Yoongi reaches over to pat the back of his head, chuckling softly, “It shouldn’t be me you should be apologizing, Jungkook.”

Yes. It shouldn’t.

But he’s wronged them all either way— his _true_ family. He betrayed them all. They don’t deserve this—none of them do…

Especially Taehyung.

Taehyung has been in his room since then, almost lethargic as he lays in bed, arm over his head and thinking— constantly thinking of the fog in his head that refuses to clear. His mind is itching to _remember_ who this Jungkook is.

The Jungkook everyone keeps mentioning.

The Jungkook who did this to him.

The Jungkook who he is in love with.

Taehyung groans. He really doesn’t want to think of this anymore but any silence seems to have his thoughts immediately drawn to the fog. As if the thought of this Jungkook comes naturally to him at even the most stagnant points in his life.

There’s a rush gust of wind from his living room and he flinches, sitting up on his bed. It must be Yoongi or Jimin. He sighs, getting up and heading to the living room.

“Hyung, I know you’re worried but I’m fine. I really—”

It isn’t Yoongi. Or Jimin.

There’s a beautiful, black haired boy in front of him— standing with his hands holding together at his front, nervously fiddling with the little scars on them. His doe eyes are darting at everywhere but at Taehyung. His pink lips are quickly turning red at the way his teeth are roughly nibbling at them—

Who…?

“You—” Taehyung croaks.

And then, the young boy— _man_ —turns his gaze from the floor to Taehyung’s and everything in Taehyung’s mind comes to a screeching halt.

The fog is quick to cover everything, yes, but not those eyes—

Those eyes that held galaxies— held a universe that was exclusively theirs.

Theirs.

_Theirs?_

Taehyung’s eyebrow furrows.

The other male’s eyes blink and shine with unshed tears. Something inside Taehyung stirs, almost pushing and compelling him to _move_. To reach and to _touch._ But he doesn’t.

He gives Taehyung a small smile, full of guilt, shame and silent apologies— a smile that held such fragile beauty behind it.

“Hello, hyung.” He says, as soft as a Unicorn’s mane, as light as a Pixie’s flight, as beautiful as a rare Siren.

Taehyung is face to face with Jungkook at that very moment and yet— the fog is yet to clear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I lied about making it only in three chapters. It got longer than planned. So! Next chapter is the finale for real.  
> Sorry for the wait :(
> 
> Twitter: @aureumie


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